Rolleston weather in March

In March, Rolleston sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 44 mm of rain across 6.5 wet days and about 12.4 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of March to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Rolleston's 7th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rolleston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
4th warmest
Overnight low
10°
9th coldest
Rainfall
44 mm
6.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 24 min
7:29 AM – 7:51 PM
Cloud cover
58%
7th clearest
Wind
12 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.46 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Rolleston is town in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Density
1,545/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical March day in Rolleston reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 10°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 2°C cooler than February and about 3°C warmer than April.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12111
22111
32111
42111
52111
62111
72111
82011
92011
102011
112011
122010
132010
142010
152010
162010
172010
182010
192010
202010
212010
222010
232010
242010
252010
261910
271910
281910
291910
30199
31199

How March really feels in Rolleston

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

March sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Rolleston weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 12°538.114.96.8
Feb22° / 12°416.113.87.1
Mar20° / 10°446.512.46.8
Apr17° / 518.410.85.7
May14° / 4889.54.4
Jun11° / 5898.83.0
Jul11° / 548.29.12.8
Aug12° / 549.810.23.4
Sep14° / 509.411.74.4
Oct16° / 5710.813.25.1
Nov18° / 579.814.55.9
Dec20° / 11°599.815.26.2

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24852
34753
44753
54753
64753
74753
84753
94654
104654
114654
124654
134555
144654
154555
164555
174654
184654
194753
204753
214852
224852
234951
244951
255050
265149
275149
285248
295248
305248
315149

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Rolleston gets around 44 mm of rain over 6.5 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 22% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
123
222
322
422
522
622
722
822
922
1022
1121
1221
1321
1421
1521
1621
1721
1821
1921
2021
2121
2221
2321
2421
2521
2621
2722
2822
2923
3024
3124

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of March feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, March lands in the dry band about 86% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
178202
280191
381181
482171
583161
684151
784151
885141
986131
1086131
1186131
1286131
1387130
1487130
1587130
1687130
1787130
1887130
1987130
2087130
2187130
2287130
2387130
2487130
2587130
2687130
2788120
2888120
2989110
3089110
3190100

Wind in March

Winds average 12 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712calm
1812calm
1912calm
2012calm
2112calm
2212calm
2312calm
2412calm
2512calm
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min at the start of March to 11 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 90 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:10 AM to 7:47 AM, and sunset from 8:17 PM to 7:24 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.17:108:17
213.17:118:16
313.07:138:14
413.07:148:12
512.97:158:11
612.97:168:09
712.87:188:07
812.87:198:06
912.77:208:04
1012.77:218:02
1112.67:238:00
1212.67:247:58
1312.57:257:57
1412.57:277:55
1512.47:287:53
1612.47:297:51
1712.37:307:49
1812.37:317:48
1912.27:337:46
2012.27:347:44
2112.17:357:42
2212.17:367:40
2312.07:387:38
2412.07:397:37
2511.97:407:35
2611.97:417:33
2711.87:427:31
2811.87:447:29
2911.77:457:27
3011.77:467:25
3111.67:477:24

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.46 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.46 kWh/m² to a high of 6.98 kWh/m² in January across the year — March's 4.46 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.7Bright
114.7Bright
124.6Bright
134.6Bright
144.5Bright
154.5Bright
164.4Bright
174.4Bright
184.4Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.0Bright
264.0Moderate
273.9Moderate
283.9Moderate
293.8Moderate
303.8Moderate
313.7Moderate
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Rolleston?

Our two travel scores rate March for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.8
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
3.5
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Rolleston for sightseeing.

What to pack for Rolleston in March

From March's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In March, Rolleston sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 10°C. Little to plan around — just the basics. About 7 days see rain.

Sea temperature near Rolleston in March

The nearest coast averages about 16°C in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 32 km away) is warmest in February at about 17°C and coldest in August near 9°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

10°15°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan17Cool
Feb17Cool
Mar16Cool
Apr14Bracing
May13Bracing
Jun11Bracing
Jul9Bracing
Aug9Bracing
Sep10Bracing
Oct12Bracing
Nov14Bracing
Dec15Cool

UV index in Rolleston in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Rolleston peaks around January 16 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highModerateLowModerateHighVery highJan 16UV 11Jun 17UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb10Very high
Mar6High
Apr3Moderate
May2Low
Jun1Low
Jul2Low
Aug2Moderate
Sep4Moderate
Oct6High
Nov8Very high
Dec10Very high
Location & terrain

Where is Rolleston?

Rolleston sits at 43.6°S, 172.4°E, 60 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Christchurch, 21 km away.

TimaruTekapoKaikouraFranz JosefRichmond

Topography around Rolleston

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Rolleston.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Rolleston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 45 m around an average of 59 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 166 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,161 m.

The land around Rolleston is covered by grassland (42%) and cropland (27%) within 3 km, grassland (52%) and cropland (30%) within 16 km, and water (37%) and grassland (36%) within 80 km.

3 km
45 m
16 km
166 m
80 km
2,161 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Christchurch 21 km · Rangiora 35 km · Ashburton 63 km · Timaru 128 km · Tekapo 160 km · Kaikoura 167 km · Franz Josef 179 km · Richmond 259 km

New Zealand travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 86% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$49,591
2025
Happiness
7.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
1.5
per 100k, 2022
Road deaths
9.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
no religion 49%Christian 37%objected to answering 7%Hindu 3%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Rolleston (-43.5833°, 172.3833°, elevation 60 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).